Dimensional Management – Philip Yeung

DESIGN FOR ASSEMBLY

COURSEWORK ASSIGNMENT 1
DIMENSIONAL MANAGEMENT

Philip Yeung
B525185
Nov 2018
Dimensional Management – Philip Yeung

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 1
2 Aims & Objectives 1
3 Current Production Problems Overview 1
4 Assembly Map 2
5 Location Features 2
6 Initial Results & Variation Modes 3
7 Actions Taken 3
8 Changes & Resultant Effect 4
Changes 1 - Parallel Geometric Tolerance 4
Changes 2 - Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance 4
Changes 3 - Reduce Size of Clearance Holes 5
Changes 4 - Assembly Operation Properties Modification 6
Changes 5 - Add Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance to Threads 6
9 Recommendations to Achieve Specified Dimensional Targets 7
10 Potential Cost Implications 7
11 Conclusions 7
12 Appendix 8
Appendix A – Initial results 8
Appendix B –Result 2 10
Appendix C –Result 3 13
Appendix D –Result 4 14
Appendix E –Result 5 15
Dimensional Management – Philip Yeung

1 Introduction
This report provides information obtained from a dimensional management study of a Lego brick
assembly. The Lego brick assembly is a new product that has only just gone into production and
already have quality issues. More than three quarters of the Lego brick assemblies built to date are
out of tolerance. Variation analysis software will be used to analysis the Lego brick assembly to find
out what is causing the quality issues and try to come up with a better way to assemble this product.

2 Aims & Objectives

The aim of this assignment is to gain practical experience in applying dimensional
management (DM) to analyse and resolve the problems posed by minor variations in
component size, shape and location in order to deliver better build quality and a more
robust end product.

The aim is to redesign or optimise the LEGO brick assembly to eliminate or minimise quality
issues of the final assembly product. The distance between arms must be 160mm ±1 at 1 in
1000 probability (0.1%), as shown in figure 1, the clearance between pin and upper arm to
be no less than 0.1mm at 1 in 1000 probability (0.1%), as shown in figure 2.

Figure 1 - Arms separation Figure 2 - Pin clearance

3 Current Production Problems Overview

The Lego Brick Assembly is a new product that has only just gone into production and there
are some quality problems. Over three quarters of the Lego brick assemblies built to date
have failed to achieve the specified product requirements.

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4 Assembly Map

Figure 3 - Lego block parts name

Figure 4 - Assembly map

5 Location Features
Upr block and Lwr block are connected to the Ctr block with 2 bolts on each side. All the blocks are
located between the Upr arm and Lwr arm with 2 bolts on each arm. The pin is screwed into the thread
on the Lwr arm and one end of the pin passes through the Upr arm clearance hole.

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6 Initial Results & Variation Modes

M2 Pin Clearance (mm) M1 Arm Separation (mm)

Nominal 2 160
Standard Deviation 2.94 1.38
Mean -2.49 160
Estimate Low -12.55 155.86
Estimate High 1.8 164.13
Out of Spec 78.71% 46.84%
Table 1 - Initial results

The nominal values for M2 Pin Clearance and M1 Arm Separation are 2mm and 160mm respectively.
The standard deviations on both the pin clearance and arm separation are quite high, ideally you want
to have the standard deviation as low as possible. The high value of standard deviation indicates that
the measurements are spread out over a wider range of values. The mean of the M2 Pin clearance has
an unexpected value of -2.49mm. The estimate low is -12.55 which is really far off from the nominal.
78.71% of the 3000 samples did not meet the target pin clearance and 46.84% of the 3000 samples
did not meet the arm separation target.

7 Actions Taken
I analysed the initial results and try to find out what causes the pin clearance and arm separation out
of tolerance.

Potential causes:

● Flatness of mating surfaces (related to arm separation)

● Height of blocks and arms (related to arm separation)
● Perpendicularity of sides of the blocks (related to pin clearance)
● Perpendicularity of the pin thread or the Lwr arm thread (related to pin clearance)
● Clearance of holes on the blocks and arms (related to pin clearance)

Actions:

● Add parallel geometric tolerance to ensure all the mating surfaces are as flat as possible.
● Add perpendicular geometric tolerance to ensure all the sides are perpendicular to the
mating surfaces.
● Reduce size of clearance holes to minimise arms and blocks movements.
● Modify assembly operation properties.
● Add perpendicular geometric tolerance to threads

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8 Changes & Resultant Effect

Changes 1 - Parallel Geometric Tolerance

Figure 5 - Model view Figure 6 - Parallel geometric tolerance

I added parallel geometric tolerance to mating surfaces between the arms and blocks to minimise
variations on the arm separation. The standard deviation dropped from 1.38mm to just 0.21mm which
indicates that the measurements of the arm separation are spread out over a small range of values.
The estimate low and high are within 160mm ±1 with 0% out of specification.

M1 Arm Separation (mm) Before After

Nominal 160 160
Standard Deviation 1.38 0.21
Mean 160 160.06
Estimate Low 155.86 159.44
Estimate High 164.13 160.68
Out of Spec 46.84% 0%
Table 2 – Result 2

Changes 2 - Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance

Figure 7 - Model view Figure 8 - Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance

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Dimensional Management – Philip Yeung

I added perpendicular geometric tolerance to ensure all the sides are perpendicular to the mating
surfaces as I thought that would have direct effect on the M2 pin clearance. The table below shows
the results of before and after I applied perpendicular geometric tolerance to the model. 76.33% of
the 3000 samples did not meet the target pin clearance.

M2 Pin Clearance (mm) Before After

Nominal 2 2
Standard Deviation 2.96 3.33
Mean -2.34 -2.73
Estimate Low -12.28 -13.11
Estimate High 1.66 1.86
Out of Spec 75.66% 76.33%
Table 3 - Result 3

Changes 3 - Reduce Size of Clearance Holes

Figure 9 - Model view Figure 10 - Clearance hole settings

I reduced the clearance holes from 6.8mm to 5mm to minimise movements between blocks and arms.
The table below shows the before and after results of the M2 pin clearance. The standard deviation
went down from 3.33mm to 0.7mm and the mean is at a reasonable value. However, the estimate
low is -1.95 which does not meet the target of >= 0.1mm. The percentage of out of specification
dropped from 76.33% to 12.9% but it still hasn’t met the target of 0.1%.

M2 Pin Clearance (mm) Before After

Nominal 2 2
Standard Deviation 3.33 0.7
Mean -2.73 0.92
Estimate Low -13.11 -1.95
Estimate High 1.86 1.9
Out of Spec 76.33% 12.9%
Table 4 - Result 4

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Changes 4 - Assembly Operation Properties Modification

Figure 11 - Assembly operation properties Figure 12 - Process tree

I modified the assembly operation properties of the items shown in figure 12. Changed the value
from 6mm to 5mm and the percentage of out of specification went down from 12.9% to 5.48%.

M2 Pin Clearance (mm) Before After

Nominal 2 2
Standard Deviation 0.7 0.56
Mean 0.92 1.16
Estimate Low -1.95 -1.31
Estimate High 1.9 1.87
Out of Spec 12.9% 5.48%
Table 5 - Result 5

Changes 5 - Add Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance to Threads

Figure 13 - Model view Figure 14 - Perpendicular Geometric Tolerance

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I added perpendicular geometric tolerance to the male thread on the pin and the female thread on
the lower arm however the M2 pin clearance didn’t improve at all. Out of spec of 5.48% is the lowest
I can achieve so far.

M2 Pin Clearance (mm) Before After

Nominal 2 2
Standard Deviation 0.7 0.56
Mean 0.92 1.16
Estimate Low -1.95 -1.31
Estimate High 1.9 1.87
Out of Spec 12.9% 5.48%
Table 6 - Result 6

9 Recommendations to Achieve Specified Dimensional Targets

To ensure all the parts are within the specified dimension, go and no go gauges can be used in
production lines to allow factory workers or quality engineers to quickly check critical dimensions on
a part. Bad parts will be rejected from the production line and disposed or recycled, good parts will
get to the assembly line. To improve the assemblability of the product I would suggest to change
some of the holes on the blocks to slots that would allow the upper arm to move for better alignment
with the pin.

10 Potential Cost Implications

Parts with tighter tolerance will have higher manufacture cost. More parts will be rejected from the
production line for disposal or recycling before it got to the assembly stage. Designing and
manufacturing go and no-go gauges will also add additional cost to the product. Modifying parts
means changes need to be made on toolings which will add additional cost as well.

11 Conclusions
M2 Pin Clearance (mm) M1 Arm Separation (mm)
Nominal 2 160
Standard Deviation 0.56 0.21
Mean 1.16 160.06
Estimate Low -1.31 159.44
Estimate High 1.87 160.68
Out of Spec 5.48% 0%
Table 7 - Final results

According to the variation analysis software, the overall assembly capability of the Lego block
assembly has improved significantly. For the M1 arm separation, I managed to reduce the percentage
of out of specification from 46.84% to 0% by adding perpendicular geometric tolerance to ensure all
the mating surfaces are in level. For the M2 pin clearance, I only managed to reduce it from 78.71%
to 5.48% by reducing size of clearance holes, changing the assembly operation properties and adding
perpendicular geometric tolerance to threads. To improve the M2 pin clearance further, I would
suggest replacing some of the holes on the blocks with slots that would allow the upper arm to move
for better alignment with the pin.

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12 Appendix

Appendix A – Initial results

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Appendix B –Result 2

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Appendix C –Result 3

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Appendix D –Result 4

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Appendix E –Result 5

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